Subscriber Archive

Teach Avoidance without Electric Shock Question: I need information on humane rattlesnake “proofing” techniques for dogs. It seems to me that keeping your dog on leash would be a better solution, so I don’t need it for myself. In Santa Fe they are using shock collars, and I would like to suggest an alternative method for a person who is not comfortable with having his dog shocked. Personally, I am shocked that anyone is instructing dog owners in that method. Dr. Nichol: Shocked? I’m incredulous. I love my dog. No way would I subject him to painful electric current. The stress to the decoy snake matters too. Tossing a wild reptile on the ground to be menaced by an agitated dog, who’s been set up to fail, is inhumane on all fronts. Prevention is much better. I’ve treated plenty of snake bites involving severe tissue damage and worse. It is…

Third in a series Our pets have good lives: a comfy bed, 3 squares, and flat screen TV. But they aren’t little people in furry suits. Beneath that cuddly exterior beats the heart of a predator. Tom and Andrea’s dog, Alita, like any self-respecting savage was always ready.  A toad in the garden, minding its own amphibious business, suddenly hopped. Then it hopped again. Wow! A snack! Toads, consumers of insects, snails, and slugs are beloved by gardeners. They move suddenly and quickly, making them fun backyard toys for dogs and cats. The species found in our corner of the world, Bufo alvarius, is somewhat less poisonous than its cousin Bufo marinus that resides in Florida. Bufo toads are most active during their breeding season (March through September). Encounters with pets often occur following a good rain, during dawn, dusk, or nighttime. Also known as Colorado River toads or Sonoran…

Second in a series “Alita”, the spaniel mix on the treatment table, wore the expression of a dog who knew she needed help while wishing she were anywhere but in a hospital. Her deeply reddened gums, heavy salivation, back-and-forth eye movements, and trembling suggested the correct answer to last week’s quiz. I instructed Amos and Dougie to put Alita in the tub and rinse her mouth with a gentle stream of cool water. Why not break out the firehose and eliminate the oral irritant ASAP? Or make it more comfortable for the poor dog by using warm water? Any toxin remaining in Alita’s mouth would absorb into her system faster across blood vessels dilated by warm water. And with neurologic symptoms, she could inhale water into her lungs. Better to stay cool and go slow. When my good staff had our patient over this first hurdle I asked them to…

First in a series It was about 8 in the evening. I was juggling one appointment after the next, along with sick pets who needed to be worked into the flow. As usual I was falling hopelessly behind. I had already poked my head into the waiting room; it bordered on standing room. Then Martha interrupted me in the exam room. I’d been clear: our clients time with me was sacred. But I knew she would never break that rule without good reason. I excused myself from the wellness exam in progress and closed the door behind me. “Martha, what’s up?” Normally composed, she blurted out, “A dog just came in staggering badly with a whole lot of drool. She’s been vomiting on the way over. I think it’s an emergency.” In the treatment room Amos was already on it. Gently holding Alita, a tan and white spaniel mix, our…

Question: We have a 12 year old German Shepherd female who started chewing on her tail! She sits on it between her back legs and chews until the hair is chewed off and it sometimes bleeds! Is she just bored? She has 3 Min-Pins and a little terrier so she shouldn’t be bored and we give her a lot of attention as she is ‘Queen Bee’ at our place! Dr. Nichol: Your big elderly dog is not self-mutilating because she’s bored. She incessantly licks and chews her tail because it’s painful and possibly itchy. All that saliva plus heat from her thighs is a formula for a bacterial population explosion. Your girl’s attempts to heal her wound are causing it to worsen. Aging big dogs are more prone to painful arthritis than their pint-sized compadres. And if your German shepherd is like many spayed females of a certain age she may…